What is a Back Of The House Bartender and what does he do


Back-of-the-House Bartenders in Casinos

Most casinos and casino hotels employ Back-of-the-House Bartenders. The back of the house is the section of the facility where employees work that is not accessible to the public. Bartenders working in casinos and casino hotels work either in the front of the house or the back of the house. The Bartender in the front of the house has contact with customers. The person working in the back of the house usually has no contact with customers, but deals with waiters and waitresses bringing drink orders. Bartenders in the back of the house usually work at the service bar in the hotel showroom, restaurant, club, or banquet area. They are responsible for mixing and preparing alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks in service bars. Bartenders fill drink orders for customers seated at tables in the hotel’s showroom, restaurant, or lounge.

As with Front-of-the-House Bartenders, those working the back of the house must know how to mix a great variety of drink recipes. They must have the ability to accomplish this quickly and accurately. Bartenders must also be able to mix drinks in the specific ways customers request. Other functions of the Back-of-the-House Bartender may include:

Salaries of Back-of-the-House Bartenders

Back-of-the-House Bartenders working in casinos and casino hotel facilities usually earn an hourly wage ranging from USD 8.50 to USD 17.00 or more. They often also share tips with cocktail servers, waiters, and waitresses. This may be done with a tip pool. The reason Back-of-the- House Bartenders may receive higher hourly earnings than their counterparts in the front of the house is that the ratio of tips is often different because it is shared. Factors affecting earnings include the geographic location, size, type, and prestige of the specific casino, hotel, restaurant, or showroom. Other variables include the experience of the individual. In unionized settings, the union may negotiate minimum earnings.

Employment Prospects for Back-of-the-House Bartenders

Employment opportunities are good for qualified Bartenders. Individuals work in a variety of settings, including casino hotels, casino nightclubs, casino showrooms, and casino and casino hotel restaurants. Las Vegas, Reno, Laughlin, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City, Biloxi, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Detroit offer the greatest number of job possibilities. Other employment settings include casino hotels in other areas of Nevada, Mississippi, New York, Louisiana, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Arizona, and California. Other regions hosting Indian gaming and land-based or riverboat gaming facilities offer additional opportunities. New casinos and casino hotels are constantly under construction. More casinos and casino hotels are opening every year as areas legalize gambling.

Advancement Prospects for Back-of-the-House Bartenders

Bartenders working in the back of the house may advance their careers in a number of ways. Some individuals want to earn more tips or want the socializing aspect of the job and move to a position in the front of the house. Others may climb the career ladder by locating similar jobs in larger or more prestigious facilities. Some Bartenders advance their careers by becoming assistant beverage managers. This career move often requires additional experience and/or training.

Back-of-the-House Bartenders Education and Training

Training requirements vary from job to job. Most facilities require individuals to be high school graduates or have the equivalent. They may accept bartending experience in lieu of education. Some employers require that individuals be certified, accomplished through formal training in bartending at appropriate schools or academies.

Back-of-the-House Bartenders Special Requirements

Some casinos either require or prefer their Bartenders to be certified. This certification can be obtained through attending bartending school or other training. Additionally, since Bartenders work around alcohol, there are also minimum age requirements. Depending on the specific state in which the casino is located, there may be other requirements Bartenders must fulfill. These may include state licensing, a health card from the local public health department, and an alcohol awareness card, which may also be referred to as a TAM card. TAM stands for Techniques of Alcohol Management.

Experience, Skills, and Personality Traits

Experience requirements, like training vary. Most casinos and casino hotels prefer applicants with bartending experience. As noted previously, many casinos also require that individuals be certified. Back-of-the-House Bartenders need the ability to remember a variety of cocktail recipes, as well as the ability to mix drinks quickly and accurately.

Unions and Associations

Depending on the specific casino or casino hotel and its location, this may be a unionized position. In unionized situations in Las Vegas, for example, individuals may be members of the Bartenders & Beverage Local #165. In Atlantic City, Bartenders are represented by Local 54 of the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union. Individuals interested in pursuing careers as Bartenders can obtain additional career information by contacting the National Restaurant Association (NRA), local bartending schools, or vo-tech schools offering courses and programs in bartending.

Tips for Back-of-the-House Bartenders

1. Bartending schools, especially those in areas hosting gaming and gaming hotels, often offer job placement possibilities.

2. Jobs are often advertised in the classified sections of newspapers in areas hosting gaming. Look under classifications such as “Bartenders,” “Restaurant/ Lounge Bartender,” “Food and Beverage,” “Back-Of-The-House Jobs,” and “Casinos.”

3. Stop by the human resources departments of casinos and casino hotels to inquire about job openings.

4. These jobs are often advertised on casino job hotlines, frequently updated messages listing jobs available. Call each casino directly to get its job hotline phone number.

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This article was sent to us by: Amanda Dani Lewis at 02082010

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